Why would previous owners plug drain into sump pit?

 I recently bought a house and knew it had a sump pit but no pump. I do not get water in basement(yet) so figured it's not an issue. I am having a plumber come in the spring to put in pump and pipes to drain it outside. And radon mitigation. Water does come into the pit and twice I have pumped it to the laundry tub. The water has never gone over the pit. My gut feeling is the old owners had a sump pump and pumped it to the drain or tub.I could do this until spring.  I just noticed one of the drains into the pit has a bottle in it.This bottle fits tightly blocking the drain hose.  No idea why the old owners did this. Should I remove it? I'm worried it will flood with water, but is it doing damage if the water isn't draining into the pit?